The Rebel Cause

If you don't live in the South you probably aren't aware how alive and well the American Civil War still is. It's hard to believe that almost 150 years later Southerners are still flying Confederate Flags and complaining about Yankees and Damn Yankees. (Yes, there is a difference between the two.) They seem oblivious at times that the rest of the country has moved on. It's not that they are actively ready to go back to war or anything. They just remain vexed about the whole damned thing.

To the rational mind it remains a mystery as to why... Why can they not just move on and let bygones be bygones?

Once you experience summer in the South you understand that any semblance of a rational mind goes out the window. Or it would if you dared to open the window, but that would let the precious air conditioned out and the a/c is barely keeping up as it is!

You see, the heat does something to you. One day is fine, two okay... Sometime after two weeks of 90 to 100 degree heat with 60% humidity something in you snaps. Or maybe it just deserts you, headed for cooler weather.

While just walking from your house to your car you are instantly drenched in sweat that cannot evaporate. If you venture to get your mail, you may drown before you get back inside.

You watch the sunset in the evening and think,"It'll soon be better," but it's still 85 outside at midnight and you swear it's more humid.

If your air conditioner can keep up, it's cool inside. But in your mind you know it's still hotter than blue blazes outside. You're trapped inside your house until it becomes a prison. Sure, you can leave and go somewhere else. But to do so you must venture into the heat, get to your car and then realize even though you left your windows down it is still close to 300 degrees inside and there is no way it's going to cool off before you get where you are going.

After several weeks of this you are ready to snap at anyone. The smallest slights stay with you for days, baking in the heat.

Then the greatest insult hits you. You realize it's only been a month of summer. It's only June. This will last until October, maybe even November. Another five months, at least!

Don't insult anyone living in the South; they've enough injuries already.